FR2495455A1 - CHILD BED WITH HYDRAULIC MATTRESS - Google Patents

Abstract

FLOATING TYPE MATTRESS BED. IT IS ESSENTIALLY IN THE FORM OF TWO PARTS, KNOWING A NORMALIZED CHASSIS FOR CHILDREN'S BED C AND A STRUCTURE A FOR SUPPORTING THIS CHASSIS INCLUDING LEGS L IN ONE OF B-CONSOLES ON WHICH THE LEGS 17 OF THE CHASSIS rest, AS WELL AS A PLATE P REACHING ON THE FEET L AND SUPPORTING THE MATTRESS M FILLED AT LEAST PARTIALLY WITH WATER. APPLICATION TO BEDS FOR SMALL CHILDREN.

Description

 The invention relates to a child's bed and more particularly to a new bed structure equipped with a floating mattress.

 The invention relates to a customary embodiment of a crib comprising a frame with vertical planar end panels and feet resting on the ground, side bars, placed at a distance, being mounted between the end panels vertical side doors which are mounted between the end panels vertically slidable between an upper position and a lower position and support consoles being mounted on the end panels for releasably placing a box spring and / or a mattress inside the chassis.

 This type of crib and box spring and / or mattress for such a bed are produced by many manufacturers and, with rare exceptions, are compatible and / or interchangeable with each other.

 Although the crib frames produced by different manufacturers may have different construction and quality details, they have practically normalized dimensions and therefore they can accommodate and support conventional springs and / or mattresses produced by other manufacturers.

 The peculiarities and special characteristics of the standard beds of children's beds that correspond to those of the bed of the invention are that they are rectangular in plan, that they are empty internally and open vertically, that they comprise four vertical feet located at the corners and intended to rest on the ground, these feet delimiting the lateral vertical edges of the corresponding end panels, and that they comprise support brackets arranged on the end panels to allow a conventional bed base to be placed thereon. springs and / or a mattress. The conventional frame is not a rigid structure independent of the box spring and / or the mattress with which it is mounted and is dependent on the dimensional stability of the bed base and / or the mattress with which it is combined to have the desired rigidity In other words, the box spring and / or the mattress of a conventional crib frame serve to stiffen and maintain the frame to its desired rectilinear shape.

 In recent years, notable improvements have been made to the floating beds comprising a flexible mattress, bladder-shaped, filled with water and on which rests a person whose shape he practically conforms and which he supports the body so substantially uniform.

 The nature of the body support provided by the floatation beds is different and in some respects superior to the support offered by all other types of beds. Although floatation beds are often only adopted for comfort reasons, there are more and more cases in which the acquisition and use of these beds is recommended or prescribed for therapeutic reasons.

 Although bedside technicians have continued to research complete adult bed structures, very little attention or even attention has been paid to making beds of this type for babies. and little children. Indeed, the production of cribs for babies and toddlers forms a very specialized part of the bed market and moreover, the usual crib frames have a structure incapable of reliably supporting floating mattresses which (being given the volume of water they contain) are much heavier than conventional mattress structures for which the usual crib frames are designed.

 it follows from the foregoing that when flotation mattresses are provided for small children, special frame structures are required to house and support them. These special chassis would have to be relatively heavy, more resistant and would therefore be more expensive than conventional chassis. The crib frames being standardized and inexpensive to produce, and since the production of more costly special frames, capable of supporting floatation mats, would be a highly speculative undertaking for any crib frame manufacturer. , the manufacturers of these chassis have tried to avoid producing and commercially exploiting the beds intended for floating mattresses.

 The invention relates to a new floating bed structure to be combined with standard crib frames. The flotation bed structure includes foot-mounted brackets for supporting the crib frame so as to allow the crib frame to cooperate with the float bed structure. The structure according to the invention comprises a support plate and housing of a floating mattress which is designed so as to be housed inside a standard crib frame, the feet supporting the tray at desired level inside the frame and consoles mounted on the feet of the plate allowing the feet of the chassis- to bear, the crib frame being supported by the structure of the floating bed and therefore not to bear the weight of this structure.

 The legs of the bed of the floatation bed structure have casters for resting on the floor and the support brackets of the crib frame are selectively movable so that they can support feet of different fabrications and / or different models of standard crib frames (spacing and / or size of crib frame legs not standardized).

 The bottom end of the standard crib frame legs has vertical holes for mounting standard vertical caster mounting pins. The support consoles of the floating bed structure according to the invention comprise retaining pins of the crib frame which are housed in the openings in these frames to house the spindle of the casters, the bed frame of child being thus removably retained and being prevented from moving relative to the floating bed structure.

The floating bed structure according to the invention comprises a horizontal shelf on the perimeter of which is mounted an upwardly facing barrier for supporting and retaining a floating mattress, which barrier comprises an internal fluid passage channel, holes and the accommodation space of the inner mattress bounded by the tray and the barrier to allow water to exit the channel and be collected, splashing water or water coming out of another mattress craze being evacuated from the bed structure and collected. The barrier comprises a soft outer covering, resiliently absorbing shocks and forming thermal insulation so that it can not injure a person or damage an object that may come into contact with it. , the floating bed structure according to the invention is equipped with a heating device intended to maintain this structure at a predetermined temperature e who is desired
The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings as non-limiting examples and on which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the water filled mattress bed structure according to the invention and combined with a standard crib frame.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the water-filled mattress bed structure which is attached to the crib frame;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a foot of the floating bed structure along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail section along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;
- Figure 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of Figure 4;
FIG. 6 is a bottom view with a cross-section along the line 6-6 of FIG.
Figure 7 is a cross-section on the line 7-7 of Figure 2;
Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Figure 7; and
- Figure 9 is a partial section similar to that of Figure 7, but showing an alternative embodiment.

 FIG. 1 represents a standard crib frame C which is combined with a floating bed structure A according to the invention.

 The chassis C is of rectangular standard type, comprising two end planar, vertical and transverse panels 10 which are similar and placed longitudinally at a distance from one another, two longitudinal bars 11 (only one of which is shown) which are placed laterally at a distance from each other and which are mounted between.

end panels 10 to which they are attached; planar vertical doors 12 which are arranged on the opposite categories of the frame, outside the bars 11, and which are mounted between the end panels and vertical guide rods 13 which are supported by the end panels and support the doors 12 so as to allow them to slide vertically; latches 14 are intended to removably retain the doors at the desired level on the rods.

 The end panels 10 are made of wood and have a central plank 15 and vertical elements 16 forming a frame and located on the opposite vertical side edges. The lower end of the elements 16 extends beyond the board 15 to form four corner legs 17 for resting on the ground.

 The lower end of the feet 17 generally comprises a vertical opening 18 facing downwards and intended to house the vertical mounting pin of the usual rollers (not shown) which are commonly mounted on the frames of children's beds to facilitate their movement. On the ground.

 In some crib frames, the bars 11 are used to support a standard box spring and / or a mattress, while in other frames, consoles are fixed at a distance from each other on the end panels for supporting a box spring and / or a mattress.

 In the crib according to the invention, no spring bed or usual mattress is used.

Thus, the bars 11 of the crib frame are not used to support a mattress or a mattress and when the frame has support brackets, they can be removed.

 It is obvious that the crib frame C as shown forms a semi-rigid rectangular frame which is open at the top and bottom and which can freely accommodate a mattress structure.

The chassis C shown is of a standard and standard type and / or a model well known to all specialists in this field. For the implementation of the invention, the design and structure characteristics of the chassis
C can vary considerably without departing from the scope of the invention.

 The buoyancy bed structure A according to the invention comprises a rectangular and horizontal tray P for supporting a mattress, a floatation mat M which is placed on this tray, vertical legs of angle L mounted on the tray, brackets B supporting the feet of the crib on the feet L and D wheels mounted at the lower end of the feet L.

 The tray P has the same shape as that defined by the frame C of the crib so as to be able to lodge there freely and to be placed at a predetermined distance above the floor on which the entire bed is placed, this plate being placed between the upper and lower ends of the frame C.

The feet L are (diagonally) inside the feet 17 being closely close to and parallel to them, these feet resting by means of the rollers
D on the floor where the bed is placed. The brackets B mounted on the legs L are projecting (diagonally) outside thereof and are located under the lower end of the feet 17 of the crib frame, each of these consoles having a vertical pin E projecting upwards and penetrating into the hole 18 of the lower end of each of the feet 17 to retain them removably on the consoles.

 The mattress M consists of a substantially flat, horizontal and rectangular bladder of flexible plastic material filled with water and resting on the plate P. A sheet-shaped coating made of a flexible plastic film (not shown) can optionally be placed between the mattress M and the tray P.

 An insole M 'of soft and elastic foam, closed cell or communicating, is preferably disposed in the mattress on the bottom of the latter. The top of the sole M 'is normally in the immediate vicinity of the plane in which the top of the mattress M is repelled by a body that floats on this mattress.

 The sole M 'keeps the overall vertical dimension of the mattress to a minimum and the volume of freely circulating water is reduced, so that an influx of water entering the mattress is kept at a low level.

 The described structure represents the assembly and covers the essential features of the invention.

 It is clear that the hydraulic bed structure A and the crib frame C are combined to form a crib with a hydraulic mattress and that the structure A can be made in such a way that it can be combined with virtually all types of manufacturing and different models and many standard chassis of cribs.

 The legs L of the bed structure A are as shown in FIG. 3 and comprise upper and lower end profiles 20 and 21 which are removably connected by the fixing members 22 and which are made in such a way that the length of the legs can be easily and conveniently adjusted to vary the level of the tray P. The profiles 20 and 21 consist of angles which are partially housed one inside the other.

The wings of the angles comprise holes 23 which are placed at a distance from each other and which can be placed opposite each other to allow insertion of fasteners 22.

 The upper end of the wings of the brackets 20 are folded outwardly so as to constitute mounting tabs 24 which are fixed on the lower surface of the plate p by means of screws 25.

 In the embodiment shown, the profiles 20 of the feet are reinforced by the gussets 26.

 The lower end of the profiles 21 of the feet comprises a section of tube 30 for housing the spindle of a wheel and for mounting a console, this tube being disposed in the inner corner of each of the profiles to which it is attached for example by welding.

The lower end of the tubes 30 is threaded and protrudes a slight distance below the lower end of the profile 21.

 The brackets B are elongated planar and horizontal pieces having an upper surface and a lower surface and an inner end and an outer end. The inner end of the brackets comprises a longitudinal and vertical buttonhole 31 in which can be introduced a co-respondent tube 30, this tube being slidable inside this buttonhole.

The outer end of the brackets supports a pin 32 protruding vertically and intended to be housed in a foot of the crib frame.

 The brackets B are mounted under the lower end of the corresponding legs L, their upper surface being applied against the lower surface of a foot L and the tube 30 of the feet passing through the buttonhole 31 and extending downwards beyond it.

The outer end of the consoles protrudes outside the feet L, the pins 32 being placed at a distance from the feet to which they are parallel.

 The brackets B are removably clamped against the lower end of the legs L by washers 33 and nuts 34 mounted on the lower end of the tube 30 and applied against the lower surface of the brackets.

 By loosening the nuts 34, it is possible to rotate the brackets and offset them axially with respect to the legs L and the tubes 30 to allow the position of the pins 32 to be adjusted so that they can fit in and support the feet of virtually all classic crib frame structures.

The wheels D are of the standard type having a mounting pin 32 'projecting vertically. The wheels
D are mounted under the feet L, their pin 32 'being oriented upwards and locked in a tube.

 The manufacture, the models and details of realization of the wheels D being able to vary considerably and the mode of execution, the installation and the implementation of these rollers being well known to the specialists, it is not necessary to describe them more in detail.

 The plate P comprises a panel 40 of plywood or the like. This panel 40 has upper and lower flat and horizontal surfaces 41 and 42 as well as straight and vertical end faces and edges 43.

 The feet L are arranged under the four corners of the panel 40 to which they are fixed in the manner shown.

 The plate P further includes a barrier W protruding upwardly on its upper surface 41 and disposed on its perimeter. The upper surface of the panel located inside the barrier is applied against and supports the mattress M. The barrier W is around the outer sides of the mattress M that it supports.

 According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the barrier W comprises a rigid internal partition 50 and an elastic impact protection envelope 52 which is arranged outside the partition 50. This partition 50 may consist of a thin metal sheet or a plastic structure and the casing 52 is a thick layer of plastic foam. The envelope 52 may be cut from a thick sheet of plastic foam and adhered to the outer surface and the edges of the partition 50.

 The barrier W as shown in Figure 7 is shaped to define a central channel 60 for circulating water or other liquid that extends over the entire length of the barrier and around the outer perimeter of the tray. The barrier also has several purge holes 61 which communicate with the channel 60 and the space inside this barrier. In addition, the plate P is equipped with a purge circuit 65 for exiting the liquid @ or the water from channel 60 and collect it and / or evacuate it.

 The wall 50 shown in the barrier W forms a thin-walled hollow structure comprising inner and outer planar vertical partitions 53 and 54 spaced laterally from each other and a horizontal wall 55 forming an apex. The inner and outer partitions 53 and 54 have mounting flanges 56 placed against the panel 40 on which they are riveted or otherwise fixed. In the embodiment shown, the rim 56 of the outer wall 54 is shaped to pass around the outer edge of the panel 40.

 To simplify manufacture, the partition 50 consists of inner and outer profiles each having an upper flange, the two flanges overlapping and being fixed to each other to make the upper partition 55. The holes 61 are made in the internal partition 53 of the structure 50 and in the part of the casing 52 which is adjacent to the inner partition 53, these holes being placed at a distance from each other below the upper partition 55.

 The purge circuit 65 comprises a vertical hole 66 formed in the panel 40 and communicating with the channel 60, a collection basin 67 mounted under the plate P and a tube 68 mounted between the hole and the basin.

 The basin 67 is of a simple type open upwards and having a projecting outer rim. The basin 67 is supported by two spaced consoles 79 fixed on the lower surface of the panel 40, on the opposite sides of the basin 67, these brackets having ledges placed under the rims of the basin allowing them to slide over them.

 It should be understood that the purge circuits 65 may have many different details and be made in a different manner without departing from the scope of the invention, the circuit 65 which is shown being a simple example which may advantageously be used.

 As mentioned above, the mattress M consists of a flexible bladder of plastic material filled with water and placed on the upper surface 41 of the panel 40 of the tray and its sides are retained by the barrier W. It comprises an upper surface which can be in the same plane or near the same plane as the top of the barrier, but which is preferably in a plane slightly below the top of the barrier.The mattress M has a sufficient depth or vertical dimension and the sole It is thick enough so that when a child rests on the mattress and moves on it, the mattress provides sufficient buoyancy to minimize the likelihood of the child moving enough to remove the water and that his body reaches the bottom of the mattress, that is to say that it moves sufficiently downwards to meet the sole M '. The sole M 'eliminates the risk that the body of the child reaches the bottom of the mattress or is retained by the panel 40.

 The structure of the tray is such that, if a mattress were to burst, tear or leak, the spilled water or fluids flow and escape rapidly through the holes 61, the channel 60 and thus through the circuit. Purge 65. This purging and removal of the scattered water is extremely important, because if the released water is not drained or removed from the upper surface of the tray and the inside of the barrier W, a child resting on the mattress could drown. The holes 61 are arranged in a horizontal plane lying below the upper surface of the sole M ', so that the water released and being inside the barrier is evacuated to a level located at below the top of the sole and below the body level of a child who continues to rest on the sole M'.By the holes being below the top of the sole M ', the risk that the water collapses freely above the plane of the sole on which a child rests is unlikely.

The purge circuit 65 which collects the scattered water prevents leakage or water from the mattress M from escaping and causing water damage in the rooms in which the bed is placed
Finally, the bed structure A includes a heating circuit H for maintaining the mattress M at a predetermined and desired temperature.

 The heating circuit H shown in FIG. 7 is of the type of a resistance heating blanket which is disposed flat between the upper surface 41 of the tray 40 and the bottom of the mattress M. A power supply cord of the heating element H passes through a hole in panel 40 to be connected to a suitable source of power supply (not shown). The cord hole may be provided with a seal formed of a piece of tape or the like placed on the hole and on the bead of the cord near the hole and passing therethrough.

 FIG. 9 represents an alternative embodiment of a heating circuit H '. This circuit H 'comprises a heat conducting metal plate 9Q which is mounted on and fixed in a hole 91 of the panel 40' of the plate P '.

A resistance heating element UT is attached to the lower surface of the heating plate 90. It is also equipped with a temperature detection device T which is fixed on its lower surface by a suitable collar. The device T comprises a temperature sensitive switch and is connected to and mounted on the power supply of the unit U, substantially as shown in the drawings. A suitable housing 95 is mounted on the lower surface of the tray P 'in order to house and protect the heating element H' and to reduce the heat losses that may occur under the tray and which may hinder the operation of the element. heating
H '.

 The sole M 'may be independent of the mattress M and arranged to be under the latter, inside the barrier. In this embodiment of the invention, the heating element is disposed above the sole, so as to be between the latter and the mat, in direct contact with the heat conduction with the latter.

 Other provisions of the various elements which could offer certain advantages are a matter of choice and do not modify the important features of the invention.

 It goes without saying that the invention has only been described by way of example and that various modifications can be made to it without departing from its domain.

Claims (9)

 1. A crib with a hydraulic mattress, characterized in that it comprises a bed structure (A) mattress containing water, structure comprising an elongate plate, flat and horizontal (P) on the perimeter of which is a barrier (W) projecting upwards, a mattress (M) formed of a flexible bladder filled with water being placed on the plate (P) and retained on its perimeter by said barrier, vertical feet (L) being placed under the plate 1 of the brackets (B) mounted on and projecting outwardly from the legs of the tray being adapted to support a crib frame (C), this frame comprising vertical end panels (10) arranged transversely placed longitudinally-at a distance from each other, as well as longitudinal and vertical doors (12) placed laterally at a distance from one another and arranged between the end panels to which they are connected, said frame crib (C) having vertical feet (17) and being placed substantially freely around the hydraulic mattress bed structure (A), the feet (17) of this frame being supported by said brackets (B).  2. A crib with a hydraulic mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that said brackets (B) are elongate pieces, substantially horizontal, comprising an inner end and an outer end, their inner end being connected by means of elements. for fastening (30, 31, 33, 34) to the corresponding legs (L) of the tray (P) so as to be pivotable and movable longitudinally with respect to these feet so as to allow their outer end to be placed below the corresponding foot (17) of the crib frame, a retainer (32) placed at the outer end of the console being intended to be housed in. a foot (17) of the crib frame (C) and retain this foot also preventing the console from moving.  3 crib with hydraulic mattress according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the feet (L) of the plate (P) comprise an upper portion (20) fixed to the plate and a lower portion (21) can sliding axially relative to the upper part and fixing members (22, 23) for removably fixing these two parts to the desired relative axial position, said brackets (B) being connected to the lower part (21) of each foot, foot length  (L) of the tray can be set so as to allow this tray (P) to the desired height inside the crib frame (C).  4. crib child with hydraulic mattress according to one of claims 2 and 3, characterized in that said retaining element (32) -consist in a vertical pin (E) disposed at the outer end of each console (B ) on which it projects upwards and the feet (17) of the crib frame have at the lower end a hole in which the pin is intended to penetrate.  5. A crib with a hydraulic mattress according to claim 1, characterized in that said barrier (W) comprises a central channel (60) of liquid circulation and several holes (61) communicate this channel and the space delimited by this barrier and wherein said mattress (M) is placed, so that the water in this space outside the mattress flows through these holes in said channel and a purge circuit (65) is intended for evacuate the water from this channel and comprises a hole (66) made in the tray  (P) and communicating with the channel and a conduit (68) having one end fixed in this hole and the other communicates with a manifold (67) under the plane of the tray.  6. A crib crib of hydraulic mattress according to claim 5, characterized in that said mattress (M) comprises an elastic sole (M ') placed in its lower part and normally located at a distance from the top of the mattress, said holes (61 ) of the barrier being located in a horizontal plane lying below the top of this sole (M ').  7. A crib with a hydraulic mattress according to claim 5, characterized in that the plate (P) comprises a flat horizontal panel t40) and the barrier (W) comprises a rigid partition (50) delimiting said channel (60) and protruding on the perimeter of the panel (40), a casing (52) of soft plastic material being terminated on the outer surface of said partition (50).  3, crib with hydraulic mattress according to any one of claims 1, 3 and 4 characterized in that it further comprises an electric heating elemenz (H) disposed on the plate (P) so as to conduct the heat in the mattress (M).  9. Hydraulic mattress bed structure (A), characterized in that it comprises an elongate plate (P) formed of a horizontal and plane panel (40), a barrier (W) projecting upwards on the perimeter of this panel (40) and the vertical support elements (L) being arranged under the plate and intended to rest on the ground at a distance below this plate, a flexible floating mat (M) being placed on this panel (40) and inside the barrier (W), this drier comprising an inner partition (50) delimiting a channel (60) this circulation of liquid on the perimeter of the plate, several holes (61) of said partition (50 ) communicating with said channel and the space is delimited within the barrier and wherein the mattress is disposed so that water in that space can flow through these holes and into said channel and a circuit purge valve (65) for draining water from the channel and comprising a hole (66) formed in the plate (P) and communicating with said channel (60) and a conduit (68) whose inlet communicates with said hole and the outlet communicates with a water collector (67) placed under the tray (P)  The hydraulic mattress bed structure according to claim 9, characterized in that said barrier (W) comprises an envelope. outer (52) resilient and soft plastic resin foam which is attached to the outer surface of said partition (50).  11. A bed structure with a hydraulic mattress according to claim 9, characterized in that said floatation mat (M) comprises a sole (M ') of elastic foam communicating cells, the plane of the upper surface of this sole being at above the plane of the holes (61) of the barrier, said mattress further comprising a bladder formed of a sheet of flexible plastic material which is filled with water and whose plane of the upper surface is located above the sole and near the plane of the top of the fence (W).  The hydraulic mattress bed structure according to any one of claims 9, 10 and 11, characterized in that it furthermore comprises an electric heating element (H) placed on said plate (P) so as to conduct the heat in the mattress (M).